Muscat, Oman: A journey into a sensory kaleidoscope. Amouage has unveiled its latest creations: Boundless and Material. Together they plunge deep into a synaesthetic fantasy, depicting humankind’s awakening to the novelty of pure existence, consumed with the joy of newfound liberation, free from any prejudice or discrimination.
Masterfully brought to life by perfumers Karine Vinchon-Spehner and Cécile Zarokian under the creative direction of Renaud Salmon, Boundless and Material embody the power of liberation. “Boundless and Material are traditional woody-spicy-ambery creations, reminiscent of early personal olfactive memories of a time when the apparent lightness of life brought us simple pleasures that shaped our happiness,” explains Salmon. “They offer our senses fragrances where natural materials are showcased with rare purity and abundance to echo the life-bringing energy of liberation.”
Boundless is a burst of joy, a fleeting euphoria, translating the vertical tension that empowers those who want to enclose in their hands the immensity of the world. This ardent and vivacious energy echoes that of sunlight bouncing off the dewy leaves of the jungle, flickering in rays through a flower-studded canopy and grazing rainbow-barked trees before vanishing amongst gnarled and misty-kissed boughs.
In Boundless, this rite of spring comes alive through tones of spices, clear and crisp, dancing in the shade of deep and somber trees. A stark contrast of warm Cinnamon Leaf and exalting Blood Orange bridged by a fruity Ginger gives way to a heart where Myrrh Resinoid and brittle Tobacco Leaves gleam, at turns honeyed and bitter, while here and there sparks camphoraceous Cardamom, its cold bite gripping onto zingy accents of Papyrus Oil before fading in the mellow haze of a rare and silky Madagascar Vanilla CO2 Extract. Shying behind an Oakmoss veil, Balsams diffuse their hushed and sticky warmth, the Frankincense and the Elemi and the smoky Guaiacwood, their waxiness emphasasing that of an even darker, fruitier, richer Bourbon Vanilla Absolute, shimmering like jungle’s very jewel.
“When I created Boundless, I wanted to play with the idea of a ‘golden wood’ and a gateway to a dense jungle where wood essences of all kinds can be perceived. I used the raw aspect of vetiver roots, the smoky effect of guaiac wood and the earthy tones of patchouli, supported by oak moss. I represented the reflection of sun rays piercing through the branches with natural materials evoking light and the golden colour, such as vanilla, cardamom and ginger or balsams: frankincense, benzoin, labdanum and myrrh,” expressed Karine Vinchon-Spehner.
Material is a paradox – through materiality, it evokes immateriality, teaching us to look beyond appearances and to realise that what matters is often unseen; an experience akin to standing in a grove and seeing in the sweltering shade a multitude of textures and manifold hues of wood and leaf and bark; all coming together into one.
Material is not a mere study on Vanilla: it is Vanilla untamed and unleashed. The opening shines under the angelic halo of Frankincense and Elemi, together rising in billows of light, their citrusy zest turning the material Vanilla Absolute into a hallowed balm. They herald with a bright and golden hue the entrance of Benzoin melding into a cloud of Tonka Bean that covers like a shroud a tiaré-like Vanilla before its fall into a crackling pyre of dry woods. The ambery purr of Labdanum, the cocoa-rich dampness of Patchouli and the animalic might of Oud highlight the dark side of their Queen, yet light still prevails through the honeyed-apricot flesh of a plush Osmanthus bloom steeped in a pool of White Musks ending the finale and taking Vanilla to a heavenly realm.
“Material is all about vanilla absolute, one of the most emblematic natural substances used in perfumery. In this fragrance, the star ingredient possesses a dual personality, presenting both a comforting side and a leathery, animalic facet; constantly shifting between innocence and wildness. The heart of the creation shines through precious balsams: benzoin, frankincense and labdanum. Finally, the scent delves deeper into a dark forest of thousands of woods, where shapes and colours become blurred,” said Cécile Zarokian.
The fragrances’ sophisticated, sensual and deep imagery was gracefully captured through the eye of Belgian artist, Louise Mertens who paired with the Swedish-Belgian design duo, Studio Corkinho. “I like how they express cork’s sensory possibilities, centered on its purest expression, and elevate it to the category of a work of art. Taking a material that people know for its everyday functional properties, ennobling it, giving it an artful touch and creating a raw, bold, massive aesthetic language: this to me is the spirit of Boundless and Material” said Renaud Salmon.
The packaging, designed by British designer Bill Radzinowicz, is inspired by “rainbow-barked trees” while the unique colour palette of the bottles was specially curated by French art director, Jerome Faillant-Dumas. The duo is serenaded by special soundtracks produced by Belgian music producer Copal.
Boundless and Material are available in all Amouage boutiques and distributors worldwide starting mid-April 2021 and can be purchased online at www.amouage.com.
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